Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is one of the more polarizing players in football.
Is he a legitimately elite quarterback? Or is he merely a product of a couple of great wide receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle?
Former NFL defensive lineman Chris Canty is not a believer.
While speaking about a potential contract extension for Tagovailoa during a recent episode of ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike, Canty questioned if Tagovailoa can live up to a new, lucrative deal.
“They’re telling you that we need all these players around Tua in order for him to be good,” Canty said. “There’s no way that he can live up to whatever contract they’re paying him, and I’m anticipating the number being upward of $50 million a year. There’s no chance that he’s going to live up to that deal.”
Tagovailoa, who played his collegiate football at the University of Alabama, was selected by the Dolphins with the fifth overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft.
After a couple of middling seasons to begin his career, Tagovailoa broke out in 2022, throwing for 3,548 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 64.8 percent of his passes and posting a league-high passer rating of 105.5. That came over 13 starts, as Tagovailoa missed four games due to concussions.
Tagovailoa’s breakthrough campaign also happen to coincide with the arrival of Hill, who arrived in Miami via trade the preceding offseason.
Then, this past year, the 26-year-old led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards to go along with 29 touchdowns and 14 picks. He completed 69.3 percent of his throws and registered a 101.1 passer rating en route to his first Pro Bowl appearance.
In spite of Tagovailoa’s big numbers, many—like Canty—still don’t believe in him.
Some credit Hill and Waddle. Some credit head coach Mike McDaniel’s system. Others say that Tagovailoa is a product of both variables.
Still, Tagovailoa still needs to go out there and make those throws. If he isn’t delivering the ball to where it needs to be, then Hill and Waddle wouldn’t be posting their phenomenal statistics.
That being said, it is concerning how much Tagovailoa has struggled against good teams and how much he has labored in colder weather.
We’ll see if the Dolphins end up rewarding Tua Tagovailoa with a contract extension before the 2024 campaign begins or if they allow him to test free agency next offseason.
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